San Diego Medical Marijuana Revival on Tap? Mayor Vows to Pave Way for Cannabis Dispensaries

San Diego’s battered medical marijuana industry is poised for a comeback after two years of turmoil that decimated the dispensary landscape.

And locals can thank one individual in particular: the new mayor.

In a surprisingly strong show of support for the MMJ industry, Mayor Bob Filner – who was sworn in last month – told roughly 100 cannabis advocates Tuesday night that he would draft a measure allowing dispensaries to operate in San Diego. He also vowed to testify on behalf of dispensary owners facing prosecution, promised to speak with the police chief and encouraged cannabis advocates to lobby city council and reach out to the public.

#1. It could breathe life back into the city’s medical marijuana business community. More than 200 dispensaries (out of nearly 230) in San Diego shut down after the local U.S. Attorney’s Office threatened their landlords with prosecution and civil forfeiture, accusing the operations of violating federal drug laws. A judge also ruled that dispensaries are illegal under local zoning laws. The closures led to more than 1,000 job losses and the evaporation of MMJ business opportunities in California’s second-largest city. Many of these dispensaries could reopen – and new ones could launch – if the city changes course, which would help bolster the state’s medical marijuana industry.

#2. There’s no guarantee Filner will fulfill his promise, and he could face resistance from other city officials. But, at the very least, the mayor’s comments signal high-level support for the medical marijuana community and give the industry an influential ally. The mayor also seems willing to take on leaders of the campaign against dispensaries, including U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy and City Attorney Jan Goldsmith. Filner has backed the medical marijuana industry before, particularly when he was campaigning for mayor. But few observers expected such unequivocal support for dispensaries now that he’s in office.

#3. The mayor’s comments could help unite the industry, which suffered a huge loss last summer when it failed to gather enough signatures for a ballot proposal to regulate and tax dispensaries. The fractured MMJ community now has a chance to come together and craft workable regulations and rules covering cannabis centers.

As one would expect, current and former dispensary owners – as well as advocates and patients – are now extremely optimistic.

“The community came out of the packed meeting in a feeling of euphoria,” said James Slatic, chief executive officer of MedWest Distribution, a company that provides CO2 extracted products. “High fives were shared between the…activists and bankrupted former dispensary owners. Of course actions speak louder than words, but at least for the first time in a long, long time we felt like someone with the power to influence major policy change took the time to hear our message.”

Other highlights from the mayor’s talk:

– On the federal crackdown: “We have got to get them to back off. They should not be persecuting at this level when the state law allows it.”

– On the industry’s role in helping change the political landscape: “We gotta write the local ordinance, but you gotta help me both in the city council itself and (with) the general public…and you all have people who can speak on this. We’re gonna have to do it like a political campaign. You’re going to have to go to PTAs and rotary clubs and church groups.”

– On a dispensary owner in attendance who has cancer: “Maybe if we win this battle, you’ll win your battle too.”

So how long before San Diego has a workable ordinance in place and dispensaries start opening up again? The mayor indicated that it could take some time. But the industry could get some more immediate relief if Filner really is serious about helping out the MMJ community: City Attorney Jan Goldsmith said the mayor could stop the local crackdown on dispensaries in “30 seconds” by ordering officials to “cease and dismiss all enforcement actions” against the centers. If that happens, expect to see dispensaries popping up shortly after – ordinance or no ordinance.

One comment on “San Diego Medical Marijuana Revival on Tap? Mayor Vows to Pave Way for Cannabis Dispensaries”

http://theweedlynews.com/?p=6152
Justice in this country is what one can afford, it’s no longer about what’s right or wrong, it’s about what you can afford to do. This is what America has become.

This is why we keep asking Don Duncan to resolve this issue. PROOF THAT A.S.A.SD.org is run with a mafia as Eugene Davidovich runs it into the ground.
Ask yourself if you can trust anything that comes from this group knowing they have a publicly known thief and liar leading San Diego’s patients to hold tight while he devises another plan to side track you from the real issues! PATIENTS RIGHTS !
ALL PATIENTS have enough fear worrying about police taking their rights from them, they should not have to worry about Americans for Safe Access, SDASA under Eugene Davidovich, a group claiming to be about PATIENTS and really trying to dominate the market and rat them out. THEIR RIGHTS is a joke, but to have Don Duncan allow this to go on in San Diego this long should send a clear message HE DOES NOT CARE ABOUT YOU !!!
Patients and stores in San Diego should stay away from this Americans for Safe Access group. There may be some good ones somewhere, but something is not write in ASA town, San Diego.
Don Duncan – Phone: (323) 882-6766 or (323) 882-6033

False copyright claims made by Eugene Davidovich using ASA name
He CARES LESS ABOUT YOUR RIGHTS !!!

Exposing DON dUNCAN for his version of “The Thinning of The Herds” to reduce competition of stores to open, shown in his “RESTRICTIVE PERMITTING“.
It was don duncan who was in San Diego trying to CLOSE THE STOREFRONTS WITH HIS RESTRICTIVE PERMITTING. IF YOU WERE AT CITY COUNCIL YOU WOULD KNOW THIS. BUT MOST PEOPLE DONT GO. AND ASA KNOWS THAT. HIS ASA GROUPS ARE ONLY SO HE CAN USE BACKUP AS HE TRIES TO TAKE CITY BY CITY TO CLOSE DOWN STORES, ENACT RESTRICTIVE PERMITTING, AND BECOME A POT BARON THAT HE ALREADY IS. His followers brag that he does not even smoke marijuana, that he is a saint. Duncan is on video stating that he came to California to CAPITILAIZE of 1996 compassionate use act. And Capitalize he has. His stores he started in bring in well over $100 million per year. And James Stacy, last years poster boy faces federal prison for selling an eigth to a cop?

Don Duncan – Phone: (323) 882-6766 or (323) 882-6033

NUG-MAG is ASA owned, occupied and controlled for their propaganda. These stories are only about Eugene Davidovich promoting himself as liaison for Americans for Safe Access, (all back issues can prove this) or ASA board members writing the articles, make no mistake it is all A.S.A. which Dion Margraff controls it.
Nug would only print selected stories, nothing about the signatures being gathered by Craig Beresh to stop the cities referendum to close all store fronts down, because they wanted to herd you towards Mother Earth’s Alternative Healing which has to be the biggest joke for any patient to go to. Signing more paperwork that one would if busted, then to allow everything to be recorded, in and out of the place, they don’t do that downtown when you get arrested. see page 11-14 if you want to know what agreement Mother Earth Cooperative in El Cajon has made to share ALL YOUR INFORMATION with the police,

I witnessed firsthand Eugene Davidovich conducting surveillance 3 doors away from CCC Craig Beresh as he attempted to get a zoning iniative past, which Davidvocih, using ASA resources, money and name and in total collusion and approval from Don Duncan, destroyed. ASA even put Davidivoch on the payroll and gave him a promotion the week after Davidovich succeeded in destroyign NORML. As Beresh pushed the zoning iniative under the name CCC, Davidovich smeared that, harassed him and then again USED THE TITLE AND NAME AMERICANS FOR SAFE ACCESS to talk PEOPLE INTO A STUPID, POLITICALY IMPOTENT LETTER WRITING BULLSHIT IDEA THAT WAS DESIGNED TO GET ATTENTION BUT WASTE TIME AND HAVE NO POLITICAL POWER TO INTENTIONALLY RUN OUT THE CLOCK UNTIL DON DUNCAN’S RESTRICTIVE PERMITTING COULD TAKE EFFECT.

THOSE WHO WERE UNCERTAIN OF DAVIDOVICH INTENTIONS TO DESTROY ZONING CONFIRMED THAT HE CLAPPED WITH TRIUMPH AS THE CITY COUNCIL ENACTED THE RESTRICTIVE PERMITTING THAT DON DUNCAN LOBBIED FOR HERE AND IN SACRAMENTO AND IN OTHER CITIES. AMERICANS FOR SAFE ACCESS IS A GROUP FORMERLY CALLED THE BERKELY PATIENT ALLIANCE WHOSE SOLE GOAL WAS TO KEEP THE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLAR OF MARIJUANA MONEY IN THE BAY AREA IN THE HANDS OF A VERY SELECT FEW. THEY HAVE USED THIS IDEA, RENAMED IT LIKE A WOLF IN SHEEPS CLOTHING, AND NOW USE “ASA AMBASSADORS” TO NARC THE STORES THAT DONT HAVE PERMITS.

PAY ATTENTION SAN DIEGO, THIS IS YOUR FUTURE IF YOU DONT CHASE THIS RAT OUT OF TOWN
Don Duncan – Phone: (323) 882-6766 or (323) 882-6033

DAVIDOVICH HAS BEEN ALLLOWED TO CREAT CHAOS IN SAN DIEGO. PAYED FOR AND SUPPORTED BY DON DUNCAN. CALL MR DUNCAN AND TELL HIM WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT IT. EITHER TOSS DAVIDOVICH FROM SAN DIEGO OR COME CLEAN ABOUT THE FACT THAT DUNCAN WANTS TO BE THE POT BARON OF AMERICA. EITHER WAY, AMERICANS FOR SAFE ACCESS NEEDS A NEW DIRECTION, AND IT NEEDS TO BE ABOUT THE PEOPLE NOT THE POT MONOPOLY OF ITS FOUNDERS.

a thief is a thief. With Don Duncan allowing this to continue without his total removal is a good sign it’s about money, MONEY, MONEY.
This is the response from YouTube as again I tried to resolve this issue, now enough time has passed and due to the use of A.S.A. they are liable under “fair use act”.
It’s time to do something and right this wrong, I stood and still stand for your rights, how would you feel if next time I sat down when you face injustices?
Boycott Americans for Safe Access until this issue that keeps San Diego medical marijuana community divided is UNITED once again.
TheWeedlyNews.com is there for you, be there for them as well. Keep the truth alive, it’s up to you.
YouTube Support to me
show details 8:54 AM (4 hours ago)

Hi MrImStoned,

Thanks for your email. We received multiple notifications from various
content owners regarding unauthorized content that has been uploaded by
your account(s). When we’re notified that a particular video uploaded to
our site infringes another’s copyright, we remove the material as the law
requires. Federal law requires that we terminate accounts when they are
found to repeatedly infringe copyright. Because you have had other videos
rejected in the past, we are unable to reinstate your account. Users with
suspended or terminated accounts are prohibited from creating new accounts
or accessing YouTube’s community. You will need to resolve at least one of
these penalties before your account can be reinstated. You may be able to
resolve at least one of the following video removals by filing a
counter-notification.

The following videos have been removed from your account:

Penalty 1:
“safe access Davidovich attack crew – Women to do his dirty work!”
formerly at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RXjwuy_IG8
Removed due to a copyright claim by San Diego Americans for Safe Access on
12/03/2010

IMPORTANT: If you feel a content owner has misidentified your content as
infringing, you may be able to resolve one or more of these penalties by
filing a counter-notification. For more information, please visit our Help
Center article about counter-notifications athttp://help.youtube.com/support/youtube/bin/answer.py?answer=59826.